F U T U R E T E N S E ! ----------- --------- - 1974 - 1976 First Show: May 6, 1974 Last Show: ??? ??, 1976 Number Shows: 26 Audition Show: none Series Description: FUTURE TENSE! was the title given to two short series of shows that aired at various times in 1974 through 1976 on WMUK, college radio station of Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. The shows were announced as being produced by WMUK Special Projects and used local actors. Professor Eli Segal updated some X MINUS ONE and DIMENSION X scripts, changing place and time to local area and time, as required. The series used original X MINUS ONE music opening, closing and scene bridges although it didn't use the X MINUS ONE "blast off" sequence. (It did use it at least once as a sound effect). In the first series aired in May of 1974, with the shows broadcast Monday through Thursday (from a comment at the end of one show). From information found, the first series appears to have been repeated in June of 1974 and again in August of of 1976 (from corrections to "Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950-1975", see Log Comments). The second series is believed to have aired in July of 1976 (from the GoldIndex, see Log Comments). In 1975, "Pail of Air" was awarded the Ohio State Award for "network quality radio drama". "Cold Equation" won a Peabody Award in 1978 "for championing radio drama". These shows, although not easily found, offer a unique opportunity to compare shows produced in radio's golden age to the same script produced today. If you do, please keep in mind that these shows were done with non-professional actors and production staff. Still, they are well done and are anenjoyable listen, especially "Born of Man And Woman" (my favorite). Log Comments: This log is based on listening to the first 16 shows, Jerry Haendiges' log, the Corrections to "Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950-1975" (See "References" below) on Jim Widner's internet site (http://www.otr.com) and entries in J. David Goldin's OTR database. Two of the broadcasts were "double features", so titles are listed as "A" and "B" on separate lines. X MINUS ONE and DIMENSION X show numbers are listed after the title in the "From" field, where applicable. Shows from X MINUS ONE are numbered "Xnn" (nn = episode number). DIMENSION X shows are listed as "Dnn". Chronological Log: Num Date Title Author From --- -------- ------------------------------ ----------------- ------- .......... Series 1 .......... 1 05-06-74 "A Pail of Air" Fritz Leiber X44 2 05-07-74 "The Old Die Rich" H.L. Gold X60 3 05-08-74 "Tunnel Under The World" Frederik Pohl X42 4 05-09-74 "Zero Hour" Ray Bradbury X26,D11 Done in DIMENSION X & X MINUS ONE in 15 minutes. Oddly, this is done in 15 minutes as well. 5 05-13-74 "The Parade" George Lefferts X02,D21 6 05-14-74 "The Defenders" Phillip K. Dick X52 7 05-15-74 "Protection" Robert Sheckley X93 8 05-16-74 "A Saucer of Loneliness" Theodore Sturgeon X83 9 05-20-74 "The Seventh Victim" Jerry Sohl X91 10 05-21-74 "The Martian Death March" Ernest Kinoy X17,D34 11 05-22-74 "Cold Equations" Tom Godwin X15 12 05-23-74 "Pictures Don't Lie" Katherine MacLean X72 13 05-27-74 "Knock" Fredric Brown X05,D05 14 05-28-74 "With Folded Hands" Jack Williamson D02 15 05-29-74 A. "Really Heavy" Ernest Kinoy X90 (X MINUS ONE title: "Real Gone") B. "Third From The Sun" Richard Matheson 16 05-30-74 A. "Born of Man And Woman" Richard Matheson B. "Dr. Eitar's Experiment" Martin Gingrick .......... Series 2 .......... 17 07-??-76 "Venus Is A Man's World" William Tenn X87 18 07-??-76 "The Discovery of Mornial William Tenn X97 Mathaway" 19 07-??-76 "The Romance Game" Finn O'Donovan X125 Based on "Gray Flannel Armor". 20 07-??-76 "Star Bright" Mark Clifton X41 21 07-??-76 "An Imbalance of Species" Ray Bradbury none An original adaptation of "A Sound of Thunder", adapted by John Scott. 22 07-??-76 "Mars Is Heaven" Ray Bradbury D14,D33, An original adaptation. X03 23 07-??-76 "Dr. Grimshaw's Sanatorium" Fletcher Pratt X09,D25 24 07-??-76 "Field Study" Peter Phillips X89 25 07-??-76 "Double Dare" Robert Silverberg X12 26 07-??-76 "The Man in the Moon" George Lefferts X06,D15 Alphabetical List: Title Num Date ----------------------------------- --- -------- Born of Man And Woman 16 05-30-74 Cold Equations 11 05-22-74 Defenders, The 6 05-14-74 Discovery of Mornial Mathaway, The 18 07-??-76 Double Dare 25 07-??-76 Dr. Eitar's Experiment 16 05-30-74 Dr. Grimshaw's Sanatorium 23 07-??-76 Field Study 24 07-??-76 Imbalance of Species, An 21 07-??-76 Knock 13 05-27-74 Man in the Moon, The 26 07-??-76 Mars Is Heaven 22 07-??-76 Martian Death March, The 10 05-21-74 Old Die Rich, The 2 05-07-74 Pail of Air, A 1 05-06-74 Parade, The 5 05-13-74 Pictures Don't Lie 12 05-23-74 Protection 7 05-15-74 Really Heavy 15 05-29-74 Romance Game, The 19 07-??-76 Saucer of Loneliness, A 8 05-16-74 Seventh Victim, The 9 05-20-74 Star Bright 20 07-??-76 Third From The Sun 15 05-29-74 Tunnel Under The World 3 05-08-74 Venus Is A Man's World 17 07-??-76 With Folded Hands 14 05-28-74 Zero Hour 4 05-09-74 References: * "Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950-1975" by James F. Widner and Meade Frierson III. (Available from A.F.A.B, PO Box 130969, Birmingham, AL 35213-0969). * "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All Circulating Shows", by Jay Hickerson, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514 * GOLDINdex database, J. David Goldin, Box 542, Newtown, CT 06470 (http://www.radiogoldindex.com) Other Logs or Books: * FUTURE TENSE log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr., Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com) Last Update: May 20, 2004 This log is informational only. It does not imply that I or my references have these shows for trade or sale. The shows are still protected under copyright law and should be obtained only from authorized dealers. The log may be freely reproduced and published on a no-profit basis. Please send error corrections or additional information to Frank M. Passage, 109 Elmwood Road, Verona, NJ 07044 (email: wb2ntp@arrl.net).